Always, Sometimes, Never
by lostlikeme
Summary: "So," she says slowly, trying to fill the space. "I'm your-" she stops herself. "I'm Bella," she says awkwardly. "And we're all betrothed, I guess?" An Edward/Jacob/Bella ABO/Omegaverse fic.


The ceremonial bonding domicile provides everything they could possibly need, and then some. Complete with a full kitchen, parlor, and an oversized bathroom attached to the private bedchamber, it leaves little to be desired. Although she hasn't checked, she imagines it's stocked with towels and silk sheets, the same way the kitchen is full of wine and rosewater. It would be incredibly romantic if Bella wasn't overwhelmed by the pressure of her impending Initiation.

"So," she says slowly, trying to fill the space. "I'm your-" she stops herself. "I'm Bella," she says awkwardly. "And we're betrothed, I guess?"

Today is the eve of her seventeenth birthday, and accepting her suitors is the last trial before ascending successfully into adulthood. The two men standing in front of her couldn't be more markedly different. The taller one looks like he was slated straight from marble, but the shorter, broader of the two holds his arms loose and his stance open.

"That's what it says on the form," says the one with darker skin. He presses his palm to the back of his neck before extending his arm to shake her hand. "Hi," he says, grip weighted and strong. "I'm Jake."

Their attention shifts to the third in their potential triad when he covers his face with his sleeve and takes two steps back. "Edward," he manages hoarsely. "Sorry," he amends, eyes restless. "This is new to me."

The sheltered community Edward grew up in is nothing like the home in the city where Jacob was raised. By contrast, Bella was raised half on a farm, half in the suburbs, shuttled between her mother's house during the school year and her father's place in the summers. She wonders what their parents are like, and finds herself wishing she read their bios over a third time.

Jacob offers a sympathetic smile before turning back to her. "You smell great," he admits shamelessly.

Edward takes a deep breath and wipes his hands on his pants. For such a tense guy he doesn't waste any time getting to the point. "Have either of you…?"

Jacob laughs and looks away. "I haven't really gotten around to it yet."

"I wanted it to be special," Bella confesses.

Two sets of eyes flicker to her face, searching. Bella sits down on the small loveseat in the dimly lit room, knees locked together. She feels hot all over just from the attention. There's a charge of electricity between them, like three stars in the same constellation.

Jacob raises an eyebrow and tugs on the corner of the gold trim tablecloth. "I could light some candles," he suggests with a sly smile.

Edward narrows his brows and Bella chews on her lip. "What about you?" she asks, trying to sound casual.

"No," he says quickly. "I've never."

Jake hangs off the back of the couch, fingers dangerously close to brushing her skin. Bella can sense the heat radiating from Edward's barely concealed self-control.

"I could get pregnant," Bella blurts, but it doesn't sound like she's really worried, not even to herself. Isn't that the whole point?

"I could pull out," Jacob volunteers, unwavering. "Or maybe that's what I want." He licks his lips and rubs his hand along her neck. "A whole litter."

Bella's eyes widen, but her breath hitches. She squeezes his tanned bicep and bites on her bottom lip. Even the fantasy is tantalizing, enough to make her wet between the legs.

"No," Edward says, too seriously. "We need to wait." Bella hasn't heard anyone talk like that since she used to watch old romcom flicks about monogamy with her grandmother. "We were assigned to Bella to protect her."

"Even from ourselves?" Jacob ventures. "This ain't 1842," he teases. "Why would they put a bed in the room if we're not supposed to use it?"

Edward sputters. "Especially from ourselves!" he snaps. "Bella hasn't even had her first heat yet."

Bella flushes. "I want my first time to be when I'm present," she clarifies. "When I can remember it."

When she learned about heat cycles it was embarrassing and silly. She giggled about it in the schoolyard afterward, and until ninth grade when she presented, it still just felt like one big joke. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she thought she'd get out of it somehow, skip puberty entirely or stay an undeveloped child forever.

"See?" Jacob arches his eyebrows at Edward. "That's fair."

"We barely know each other," Edward reminds them. "Besides, the first would be mine," he coughs into his elbow. "The first litter, I mean."

Jacob narrows his eyes and smiles. "Race you."

Edward almost takes the bait before he ropes in the tightly wound beast inside him. Bella can smell him from here, a musk that permeates her skin and marks the whole house as his own. Bella unravels Jacob's arm from around her so she can stand, taking a cautious step toward Edward and outstretching her hand.

"I know it sounds crazy, but I already feel like I've known you and Jake my whole life."

He doesn't actually flinch when she touches his shirt, but his whole frame hunches imperceptibly. She can't help but wonder how old he really is. With lifespans comparatively longer, it isn't surprising there are so few alphas. The selection process is an enigma; Bella never imaged qualifying.

"What if…" Edward reaches up to curl his shaking fingers carefully around her wrist. "I don't want anyone to get hurt."

Jacob laughs loud enough to startle them. When he meanders toward them Edward drops her hand to create more distance without ever leaving his back exposed.

"Ease up," Jacob says easily, moving close enough that Edward backpedals into the wall. For a moment she forgets which one of them is the alpha. "She's not made of porcelain," he says decisively. He leans in close enough that his nose almost brushes his ear. "And neither am I."

Edward twists them around and shoves him into the wall with enough force to knock off a hanging painting. A spike of excitement ignites in Bella's gut at the dominance display. Jacob cants his hips and meets her eyes over Edward's shoulder.

"Don't feel left out," he says with a smirk.

Edward turns to face her and Jacob uses the distraction to snake his hands around his waist. He turns to bare his teeth but quiets when Jacob offers his throat. Bella creeps up behind them, until she can press her body flush against his back. He stiffens between them, trembling fists trapped in Jacob's unrelenting grip.

"We don't have to do anything now," Bella mumbles. "We have the rest of our lives to figure it out." She closes her eyes to listen to his unsteady heartbeat. "Together."

Bella slides around his hip and ducks under their locked arms. The heat almost swallows her whole, but the tension drains from Edward's posture as he scents along the nape of her neck.

When Edward looks up Jacob knocks their foreheads gently together. "Next time I won't make it so easy."


End file.
